Hinged cover for bulkheads



A g- 5, 1952 G. W. LYONS, JR, ETAL 2,605,494

I HINGED COVER FOR BULKHEADS Filed July 22, 1950 iffy/ways Patented Aug. 5, 1952 ,HINGED COVER FOR BULKHEADS George W. Lyons, In, West Havemand Robert-J. Lyons, North GuilforiL Conn.

Application July 22, 1950, Serial No. 175,431

The present invention relates in general to counterbalance mechanism for hinged members and more especially to superior counterbalance mechanism for a hinged cover such as, for example, a. hatch cover, a bulkhead cover, box cover, and the like, whereby the cover may be more easily raised and, once raised, will be yieldingly held in an open position.

An object of the invention is to provide a hinged cover with superior counterbalance mechanism of simple, durable and economical construction.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a hinged cover with counterbalance mechanism characterized by parts so made and arranged that they can be easily attached to the hingedcover, readily adjusted after attachment to the cover, and when in use will be protected from the weather when the cover is closed.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fi 1 is a broken side elevation in section of a bulkhead having a cover hinged at its upper end thereto and provided with counterbalance mechanism, the cover being shown in its closed position on the bulkhead;

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1, but showing the cover of the bulkhead in its raised position; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the bulkhead on line 33 of Fig. l.

The exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated herein is used in conjunction with aframe structure or bulkhead which, in the main, comprises a pair of triangular-shaped side panels,

each of which is indicated by the numeral it,

flange 12 which projects inwardly at'substantially right angles to the vertical plane ofv its respective side panel and is provided along its inner edge with an upstanding lip it. A similar upstanding lip I4 is provided along the forward edge of the head-plate H, the upstanding 1ips iof the side panelsand thelip of the head-plate being adapted to form substantially watertight joints with downwardly-bent flanges which extend along the edges and end respectively of the cover- [5 of the bulkhead; As shown in Figs 12.

1 Claim. (01; 161) and 2, the cover I5 is hinged at its upper edge to the head plate I I of the bulkhead by hingem'eans such as, forexample, substantially V-shaped hinges l6'l 6, so that the cover is urged by grav ity into a closed position.

For a more detailed disclosure per se, reference may be made to the co-pending application of George W. Lyons, Jr., and John M.

- lids or covers,

The hinged cover I5 of the bulkhead is adapted to be held in its open position'and to be raised with the assistance of thecounterbalance mechanism of this invention which, in the main, comprises the following associated elements. A pair of downwardly and forwardlyprojecting brackets H are provided on the underside of the cover,

adjacent the upper endithereof, the upper'end of each bracket being fixedly securedby a welded joint or equivalent fastening means to the underside of the cover adjacent one side thereof and in a substantially vertical plane perpendicular thereto. As shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of each bracket I! is bent outwardly or otherwise provided with a tongue I8 which projects at substantially right angles thereto beneath the flange 12 of the corresponding side panel lil'of the bulk head, each tongue being provided with a cable'- anchoring eye. In the; preferred construction, the length and angular inclination of each bracket H with respect to. the inclined cover I5 are such that when the coverv is closed on the, bulkhead, the cable-anchoring eye of each bracket will be disposed substantially directly below the hinge-pintle 2! of the corresponding hinge N5 of the cover. v greater detail presently, resiliently extensible means, indicated generally at I9, is connected to the tongue l8'sothat-the bracket acts asa leverage arm for effecting the extension of such means to counterbalance the weight of the cover and thus assist in swinging it to its open position.

Mounted on the inner face of each side panel iii of the bulkhead immediately under its horizontal flange l2 andforwardly ofthe correspond- 1 ing bracket ll of the cover,- is antifriction guide *means comprising a grooved pulley 22 mounted on the inner. end ofa stud shaft 23, the opposite end of which is fastened securely to, the corresponding side panel of the bulkhead.

of the bulkhead As .will be explained in Secured on the respective side panels of the bulkhead, forwardly of each grooved pulley 22, is an anchoring bracket 24, each of which extends inwardly substantially perpendicularly from the inner wall of the corresponding side panel of the bulkhead. Each anchoring bracket 24 has an unthreaded aperture therethrough, the longitudinal axis of which is substantially in alignment with theeupper' part of'the; groove ofthe. corresponding pulley; and accommodates a screwthreaded stud 25, one end of which is provided with a, squared shank 26. The same end of the screw-threaded stud is adapted-tube.- PIC:- vided with an adjusting nut 21 for holding the stud in any adjusted position irrthe bracket, against the pull of a spring, 29 the correspond ing end of which is engaged: in an. aperture. in the opposite end of the stud. The opposite end of each spring 29 is secured to the adjacent end of a flexible cord; or cable 30 which is trained oyerithe grooved pulley 1 2 O thencore resnondingsi-de panel: of the: bulkhead, the op- DQSiteQend-of thecable -being fixedly secured in the cable-anchoring eye of the corresponding bracket [1 of the bulkhead. cover: Bythis constructi'on, the. longitudinal: axes ofv the coil springs are substantially parallel to the. flanges of? the. cor-responding. side panels and substantijally ijn alignmentwith the; hinge-pintles 2-! ofehinges at corresponding sides ofthe cover.

the. present embodiment. of the invention, enchant-"the: coil,- springsis formed, of /g iIlCh diameter'wi-re and is.= substantially one foot. long wheminits closed or contracted condition It will be understood, however, that, .the,.spring.

specifications mayvary. depending. upon. the size/and: weight of the bulkhead door. and .upon the comp ition .of. the spring. metallandi similar factorsin, the. design-of the. spring .and bulkhead.

' Pursuant to. the, obj ects. of. the, invention, the coillsprings'for. holding, the cover. in...its.i open DQSitiOnhave .predeterminedl tension. .fforces, so thatrwhenithe bulkheadcover is inlits. closed Position. the. springs. wilLbe. stretched to a considerableyde'greeras shownin Fig. 1', at which time. each. spring exerts. a strong pull on its respectivebracket. 1.1 of; the cover. to swing the coveriupwardly aboutits hinges. More particularly; the force of; each spring, indicated. at" P5, act'slat'the. inner. extremity or. cable-anchoring eye oiitsrespective bracket and: is multiplied by its, respective moment arm or" perpendicular distances 'ATBto the hinge-pintle of: the cover, to, PIQdllQe a forcemoment tending to raise the latter. However,: the sum'of the force moments ofboth springstis 185$.17h21l' the" moment of the ,force created' by the weight- We of the cover, times'its effective'distance A1-C from'the hing-epintle, and hence-the cover-remains in-its closed position. The difi'erence between these two force moments is; however, small" enough sothat only relatively-little effort is required to swing the cover upwardly from its closed position.

Asythe' cover is swung upwardlymanually about the hingesat its upper=end,- the brackets .offlthecover-swingforwardly in an are centered on the-hinge-pintle 21 (see'Fig. 2) thereby carrying; the cable-anchoring 1 eyes of their: re-

the"latter-shortenin length; As a.result, the

for'ce Fs exerted by; each spring on .itsbra'cket H 1 of tl'ie cover is 'greatly. lessened; and; although the respective moment. arms ;A--B; of these forces are somewhatf lengthened: the brackets? swing upwardly, theforcemoments: :which. act on; the 1 cover to raise the latter as it is swung into its open position, are less than the force moments which act on the cover to raise the latter from its closed position. However, since the force moment of the weight of the cover times its efiective distance AC to the hinge-pintle decreases as the cover is swung upwardly manually, a point intermediate the open and closed position of thescover will; be reachedat which the sum of the force moments'of' the shortened springs exceeds the force moment tending to close the cover, and hence the shortened springs willmove thecover into its open position and yieldingly hold it in such position.

To close the cover, it is only necessary to grasp its forward edge and pull the cover down initial- 1y; with. sufficient. force to overcome the force moments of the shortened springs, after which the Weight of the cover times its moment arm, provides a force moment which exceeds the force moments of the-'tensioned. springs, whereupon the- CQVBIT is positively closedandheld. in its closed position.

The adjusting nutof the stud of each.spring is adapted to be" turned by a wrench or. equiva: lent: means so that variations inthe tension of." the springs may. be made to compensate for small variations. in. spring. structure and cover. weights, Wherebyrelatively. close. adjustment maybe made between the forces holding the-cover closed andthe forces tending-toraise the cover. In like manner, adjustmentsmaybe made-intheatensionedsprings whereby the forces ofthe-latter which. actto. hold thecover. open, may "be controlled.v so as. to' preclude any, likelihood-of. the; cover; inadvertently closing of. it'-.-

self,..

Although the counterbalance. mechanismof the cover comprisesv preferablycoil springs-having tension; adjusting. means, it. will be. understoodthat. it. is..within the purview of.v the. in.- vention to-utilize equiva1ent.means for holding the cover in its open position.

. equivalency; range of the appended claim are intended; to be embraced therein.

We claim III astructure having an opening, a cover adapted;to swingrbetween; closed'and open positionsizwith respect? to "said openinghinge. means by which saidcover is? supported for swinging movement: between said positions, the axis of said: hinge means being. disposed horizontally adjacentr aniedge ofthe" cover such that the'cover is urged by gravity 'intogitsclosed position, counterbalancingmechanism. tending'to swing: said cover'toandto. hold it'in its open position, comprising: a bracket secured to said cover' and projecting therefromrso' that its projecting! end isrdisposed', inithe' closedpositionof said cover, beneath said 'hinge axis in. spaced relation thereto; resiliently" extendablemeans includinga coil. spring fixedto. said st'rncturerat: onerof itsiiends and having a cable interconnected between its other end and the projecting end of said bracket; and a pulley over which said cable passes, said pulley being positioned closely adjacent the projecting end of said bracket in the position assumed by the latter when said cover is in its open position; the positioning on said cover of said bracket with respect to said hinge being such that the moment arm at which the force exerted by said extensible means acts to open said cover is lengthened as said cover is swun upwardly, said force being insuflicient in the closed position of said cover to overcome thedownward moment of force exerted by the mass of said cover acting at its center of gravity but sufficient after said cover has been raised to a point intermediate said closed and open positions to overcome its gravitational moment and- 6 to move and yieldingly hold it in its open position.

GEORGE W. LYONS, JR. ROBERT J. LYONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

